Brandon Spikes Among 5 NFL FAs Reportedly Suspended: Latest Details, Reaction

The New England Patriots released linebacker Brandon Spikes on June 8, and the 28-year-old has been up for grabs on the open market ever since.

Now we know why.       

According to ESPN.com's Field Yates, Spikes has been suspended for the first four games of the 2015 season for a reason the league has yet to disclose.

However, Yates noted that Spikes pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a hit-and-run car crash that left three people injured. Spikes was subsequently ordered to serve probation for one year.

Spikes spent the first four seasons of his career with the Patriots after they selected him 62nd overall in the 2010 draft, but he departed last spring when the Buffalo Bills signed him to a one-year deal.

Yates also passed along suspensions the NFL handed down to four other free agents, including two prominent skill-position players:

Reasons for those suspensions have not yet been announced by the league, but Jonathan Dwyer, Jermaine Cunningham and Rodney Austin have all combated legal troubles over the past few months.

According to the Detroit Free Press' Dave Birkett, Austin was found guilty of four charges in June, including assault on a female and assault on a child under the age of 12. Dwyer also faced domestic-violence related charges earlier this year and pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, at which point he was placed on 18 months probation, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN.com).

Like Spikes, Williams also most recently suited up for the Bills, but he caught just eight passes for 148 yards and a touchdown in nine appearances throughout the 2014 season. The reason for his suspension has not yet been announced.

Given the personal struggles each player has battled, it would be a surprise to see them signed to NFL rosters in the near future.